When I arrived at Tan Son Nhut I
was a recently promoted Sargent. Being the new NCO I immediately
received additional responsibilities. The first was being in charge of
the Mamasan of our barracks. Not a particularly difficult job: Collect
from the troops in my barracks, pay Mamasan, and fix any problems that
came up.
The troops started complaining about skin rashes. At first there were
two or three complaints, then the problem spread to half the other guys.
Then fungus problems became an every day occurrence in-country. Several
guys went to sick-call and were diagnosed as suffering from a
skin irritant such as coming into contact with a mild chemical of some
sort. Someone suggested we check on what Mamasan used to wash and clean
our fatigues.
Mamasan's laundry washtub-facilities
consisted of three garbage cans: one to wash in and two to rinse with.
As I watched Mamasan and her daughter, Babysan, doing the laundry one
day I noticed she was using a black bar of soap.
"Mamasan, what you do?" I
asked.
"Ahhh!!! Mamasan washie-clothie,"
she answered with a big beatlenut smile.
"What soap you use?" I respond.
"Mamasan use LYE SOAP---GOOOOD SOAP,
clean clothes good---GOOOOD SOAP."
"But Mamasan, I gave you money to
buy soap?"
"Ahhh!!! Mamasan buy GOOOOD SOAP---LYE
SOAP."
"Mamasan, LYE SOAP, number 10
soap---make GI itchy all over."
Mamasan looked very bewildered, this soap
worked good, it was cheap, she could pocket the extra money, and she
didn't understand about the rash. I immediately went to the BX and
bought a large box of TIDE. I gave it to Mamasan praising the values of
TIDE.
"Mamasan, you use TIDE SOAP, number
1 American soap!---good soap---you like!" Mamasan smiled weakly
and shook her head in agreement. That took care of that problem, or so I
thought.
A week passed and the rash plague grew
worse. Back down to the shower and the three-trashcan-laundry. There
were Mamasan and Babysan washing clothes with, of all else, a black bar
of number 10 LYE SOAP.
"MAMASAN, WHAT YOU DO?" I
scream.
"Ahhh!!! Mamasan use LYE
SOAP---GOOOOD SOAP, clean clothes good---GOOOOD SOAP---LYE
SOAP---numba 1 soap!"
"LYE SOAP number 10 Viet Cong
Commie soap! NOT good soap---what you do with number 1 American
TIDE SOAP?" I bellowed.
"Ahhh!! Mamasan take Cholon---sell
BLACK MARKET---make bouqu-Pe---me like numba 1 Amelican TIDE
SOAP!!!"
